Brave New World
by Ryan Brooklyn
Summary: Would you die for me?" he asked, his eyes burning with the power of the Goa'uld. His fingers tightened around my throat. "No," I said firmly, although my slight body was shaking. "But I would die for him."
1. Prologue: Debriefing

**A/N:** **I have only seen the first three seasons of "Stargate SG-1" so please forgive me if this is AU. It probably is.**

**Disclaimer:** _I do not own any of the "Stargate SG-1" characters._

**Rating:** PG to PG-13

**Genre: **Action/Adventure/Fantasy/Friendship/Angst/Drama/Romance and all that good stuff

**Spoilers:** Seasons 1-3

**Summary: **Slight AU. "Would you die for me?" he asked, his eyes blazing with the power of the Goa'uld. His fingers tightened around my throat. "No," I said firmly, although my slight body was shaking. "But I would die for him."

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**Brave New World**

**Prologue: Debriefing**

When the men first came to me, I was afraid. I had not seen anyone from what Dan'yell called the "S.G.C." for a long time: about two years. I hide behind Kasuf as he spoke with them. I understood their language for Skaara had taught me when I had first come to Abydos through the Chappa'ai. They spoke in soft tones, as if they were afraid of what my reaction would be if I could hear them.

Kasuf turned to me and placed his hand on the top of my head. "You must go with them, my daughter," he said gently.

"But why, my father?" I asked, looking up at him imploringly, not wanting to leave his side as I had not since the Jaffa had taken Skaara from me.

"You must go, now!" Kasuf insisted, his hands shaking slightly as he took my arm and handed me over to the men. Two took each of my arms and gently led me back into the pyramid from whence they had come. I cast one last long look back at the man whom I had called father for the past twelve months as I hobbled away. The men led me through the Chappa'ai. It felt strange to be traveling through it once more.

The first person I saw was Dan'yell. I gave a cry of relief and delight, leaping into his arms, wrapping my own thin arms around his neck in a tight embrace.

"Dan'yell, I have missed you," I spoke softly into his ear. He gathered me in his arms, lifting my slender form off of the ground easily. My long skirt hid my feet from the observers. When he set me down again, he patted my head as if I were a younger sister.

"I'm glad you could make it," he said, reaching up to adjust the glass circles that sat on the bridge of his nose. He called them "glass'ez."

"Why am I here, Dan'yell?" I asked, straightening my robes. "Why have you sent for me?"

"Uh, the General wants some uh, information, you could say . . . about . . ." he seemed to be hesitating. He rubbed his hands together nervously as I waited for the rest of his statement. "About Skaara."

The shock on my face must have seemed like a bad thing, for he quickly began speaking once more, explaining how they had encountered Klorel on a Serpent Lord mother ship and something about a shooting and a sarcophagus. I barely heard him. Looking over his shoulder I saw Car'ter and O'Neill, and the Jaffa they called Teal'c approaching. I held my head high, trying to appear brave despite my small stature.

"I shall tell you what I know," I said, only because I saw no reason not to. "But I do not know what help it will give."

"Great!" O'Neill exclaimed, clapping his hands together so loudly it made me jump. "Let's go."

"Uh, Jack," Dan'yell said hesitantly. "First I think Dr. Fraiser would like to see her in the infirmary?"

"Riiiight," O'Neill said, nodding.

I was puzzled. "But I am not ill," I said, looking up at Dan'yell. He gave me a small smile.

"It's standard procedure," he said reassuringly. "Nothing to worry about."

I nodded, still afraid but not enough to make me refuse. Dan'yell held out his hand to me and I latched on to it, holding him tightly. He gave me another smile and led me down a hallway with walls of metal to a room filled with unfamiliar equipment. A pleasant looking woman with red hair stepped forward and led me to a bed, motioning for me to sit. I did.

"Now these are just a couple of test I have to take just to make sure you did not bring back anything harmful. You okay with that?"

I nodded. She lifted my arm and swiped a wet white ball over the inside of my arm and then lifted a sharp needle. I eyed it fearfully but Dan'yell appeared at my side, patting my shoulder.

"It's okay," he said. "It doesn't really hurt at all."

I turned wide eyes up at him then back over to Dr. Fray'ser. She gave me a small smile and injected the needle. I flinched slightly but all I really felt was a small sting. She continued with the test and I waited patiently until she was done.

"There you go, all done," she said finally. "You're completely healthy."

"Thank you," I said, unsure of what else to say. I hopped off the bed and made my way to the door with Dan'yell at my side. I felt Dr. Fray'ser's eyes on me and I waited for the question that was sure to come. However it did not. I was surprised but continued limping down the hall with Dan'yell.

"This is the conference room," Dan'yell said, opening the door to a room with a large table surrounded by multiple chairs. He gestured for me to take a seat in one. Just as I did, a door opened at O'Neill, Car'ter, Teal'c, and General Hammond entered. I stood swiftly, but Dan'yell motioned for me to sit again. I was sorry for my flighty behavior, and I said so. The others seemed to understand.

"Now I know this may be difficult for you," General Hammond said as he sat down. "But you must tell us everything, from the moment you first saw Skaara. Start with just stating your name."

I watched at Car'ter placed some sort of device in front of me and turned it on. I watched two small wheels turn around and around before Dan'yell clearing his throat snapped me out of my daze and reminded me to talk.

"I am called Kyra'lo'lani, from Rict'ta'tica," I began. I received several blank stares. My lips twitched slightly into a small smile. "You may call me simply Kyra." O'Neill looked relieved.

"Go on," Dan'yell prompted quietly from my side. I glanced at him then back at the others.

"My homeworld was taken by the Goa'uld," I explained. "My uncle Rosh'nita and I were the only survivors. We escaped through the Chappa'ai moments before the Goa'uld destroyed it with fire and thunder."

"Where did you gate to?" Car'ter asked, looking very interested and concerned.

"Abydos," I said with a tender smile. My eyes drifted to the side as I remembered first stepping through the gate with Uncle Rosh at my side. I remembered when I first saw _him_.

**Flashback**

_We had stumbled into a cavern of some kind. The Chappa'ai disengaged behind us. We had fallen when we had raced through and now we stood shakily. My left foot could not support me and I stumbled over to Uncle Rosh who, although badly wounded, wrapped his arms around me as though I was the one who required assistance._

_There were rustlings and whisperings all around us. I was afraid. Then a man stepped forth. A man with glass circles in front of his eyes. A beautiful young woman stood right behind him. He approached us cautiously._

"_Uh, hello," he said hesitantly._

_I glanced at Uncle Rosh. He raised a blood-covered hand to motion me not to speak._

"_It's okay," the man said, stepping closer. I eyed him warily. He did not appear dangerous, but not everything is as it seems. "I'm a friend, we," here he gestured around him at the pillars (undoubtedly there were beings behind them), "are friends."_

_Uncle Rosh stumbled forward. I saw then the deep gash in his side. My eyes widened with horror and I looked at the man. Disregarding my uncle's wish for me to remain silent, I decided that my uncle was going to die anyway if I did not ask for help._

"_Please!" I said in the man's tongue. "Help . . ." I scrambled for more words but I had never been very good in my language classes. I understood him, but I was not sure I could communicate._

_Fortunately, he seemed to understand. He spoke quickly to the woman who I assumed was his wife, and she hurried to me while the man attended to my uncle. They helped us up and led us into an encampment set up in the cavern which I now saw was instead a large room._

_The woman began looking me over. She found my many cuts and bruises and began to minister herbs to soothe the pain of them._

"_Sha'uri," she said softly after a while, laying a hand on her chest._

_I understood she was introducing herself, so I laid a hand on my own chest and spoke quietly._

"_Kyra'lo'lani."_

_She smiled and handed me a bowl filled to the brim with water. I drank greedily. It was then that I saw him, looking over Sha'uri's shoulder as if to get a glimpse of the strange girl who had come through the Chappa'ai._

_I lowered the bowl quickly and drew my knees up to my chest, as if to protect me from this stranger. Sha'uri sensed my discomfort and turned to him. Her face broke into a grin and she gestured for him to come closer. My breath caught in my throat in fear. I had just witnessed my entire family's death. I could not let them have my trust too easily._

_He stepped forward cautiously, as one would approach a wounded animal. He knelt beside Sha'uri and spoke with her in hushed tones for a few brief moments. He was most likely questioning her about me. He finally turned back to me again._

_For weeks after he was taken I would remember that moment: his dark eyes full of innocent wonder and curiosity, his dark face open and attentive, his lips slowly upturning into a small smile._

_He pointed to his chest. "Skaara," he said and nodded. "Skaara."_

"_Skaara," I repeated slowly. His smile widened into a full grin, a beautiful grin full of excitement. He nodded vigorously then pointed to me._

"_And . . . you?" he asked hesitantly._

"_Kyra'lo'lani," I answered. I was still wary of him, but something about his entire being inspired a sense of security and benevolence. There was not one thing about him that gave me a reason to fear him._

_He struggled with repeating my name. He could not get past "Kyra." I actually laughed, surprising myself and him. I shook my head and simply said, "Kyra" while pointing to myself._

"_Kyra," he repeated confidently, his grin still lighting up his dark face like the sun. A beautiful face._

**End Flashback**

"My Uncle died there," I said softly, turning my eyes down onto the table. The last image of Skaara was still imprinted in my brain. I did not push it away. Instead I pulled it close to me as though it would comfort me during this personal interrogation.

"I tried my best to save him," Dan'yell told me, although he did not have to. I had forgiven him a long time ago.

"Do not worry, I do not hold you responsible," I reassured him. He nodded but still appeared guilty.

"So you stayed with the Abydonians, is that correct?" General Hammond asked.

I nodded. "Indeed. Dan'yell and Sha'uri took good care of me. They taught me the language of your people. Skaara helped me as well, in many ways more than one. He . . ." I suddenly hesitated but then continued although my voice was not as strong as before. "He assisted me greatly during times of great emotional torment within me when I began to miss my family. We became close. Very close."

I took a deep shuddering breath. The listeners waited patiently. Dan'yell rested a hand on my arm and I reached up to brush a strand of dark hair away from my face.

"You were there when they came," I said quietly. "You know what happened after that moment."

I shut my eyes and tried to block out the next images that entered my memory. But they came anyway.

**Flashback**

_Darkness. Pressing bodies. Sobbing. Jaffa guards at the gate. Skaara's arms around me, holding me close. I had buried my face into his chest, not wanting to see. They should not have picked me. They would not have picked me if they had seen it. I knew that they would surely kill me for I was of no use to them. Skaara knew it too._

_When the Jaffa guards opened the gate to let in the Goa'uld to choose their children or servants, Skaara stood with the others, pushing me behind him so they could not see me. I gripped the back of his robes tightly and pressed my forehead into his back, shivering like an abused animal. I was so afraid._

_They looked right at me. I saw one step towards us, but then another one picked O'Neill. A struggle ensued. Skaara leapt forward to assist his friend. He was chosen . . . by Apophis. He was taken. I could do nothing but stand there, screaming his name. I came out of my daze finally and rushed to him but my foot crippled my movement and before I knew it, a staff weapon came out of haze that was my vision and then I saw only blackness._

**End Flashback**

"Wait a moment," Car'ter said at the end of my narrative. "Why weren't you chosen?"

I titled my head and waited for her to continue her thought.

"I mean, you're a very lovely young woman if you don't mind me saying so," she went on.

"Thank you," I said slowly. I paused, waiting for her to realize the answer on her own. She seemed to be waiting for me to tell her. I sighed and stood.

"I believe they would have chosen me," I said. "If it were not for this."

I lifted the end of my long skirt and displayed my deformity. My left foot turned inwards in a particularly grotesque way. It had been that way since birth. The only way to right it would be to break it and let it set straight again and my mother could not bring herself to do that. So I remained deformed the entirety of my sixteen years.

"Please go on," General Hammond requested.

I lowered my skirt and sat back down. "As you know the Jaffa Teal'c helped us all escape and I was taken back to Abydos. Kasuf welcomed me graciously and we became very close. I consider him to be a surrogate father, and I: his daughter."

Those around me nodded. Dan'yell shifted in his chair so that he could face me.

"Kyra," he said. "Tell us what happened a couple months ago."

I took another deep breath and let it out slowly. "About two months ago, I was captured by a bounty hunter . . . and taken to Klorel's ship."

My audience all exchanged glances. I did not wait for any comments or questions. I simply gazed off at the wall in front of me and continued telling my story.

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**A/N: This is my first "Stargate: SG-1" fanfic so please be patient with me. Btw, Kyra's name is pronounced Kai(rhymes with sky)-rah.**


	2. Within the Serpent's Grasp

**A/N: Just to clear up any possible confusion in the upcoming chapters, Kyra is telling the story and her memories of the actual events are in italics.**

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**Chapter One:**

**Within the Serpent's Grasp**

It was an unwise mistake on my part: getting caught. I thought I could handle myself. I did not heed the warnings Kasuf gave me about trusting strangers from beyond the Chappa'ai. So when the man came through looking for me, I went to hear what he had to say, against Kasuf's wishes.

_He had yellow eyes. That was the first usual aspect about him that caught my attention. The second was that he called me by name._

"_Kyra," he said with a gentle smile. I hesitated._

"_How do you know this name?" I demanded to know. _I should have left right then. But I was curious. And as you say: Curiosity killed the cat.

"_From a friend," he said, taking a step closer to me. His armor looked unfamiliar and I could not think of how we could have a mutual friend. "A friend that wishes to see you."_

"_Who?" I asked against my better judgment._

"_Skaara."_

_I felt my heart stop. My eyes widened and I could not move. I loathed admitting it, but he had me hooked. Just the thought of seeing those open, beautiful eyes made all sense leave me_. _I limped over to the man, suddenly not caring who he was or why he was there. My foolishness was my undoing._

He took me to his ship, along with a couple other curious children who wanted to come along to see Skaara once more. The man was jovial. He laughed, he joked, he led is all onto his ship. It was then that I got the sick feeling in my stomach. I knew then I had made a horrible mistake.

_The strap of the restraining belt dug into my stomach and shoulders. My chest was heaving. I glanced around me at the other children. They sensed nothing wrong. They were talking amongst themselves, laughing, having fun. The man glanced over us all and our eyes met. A shiver ran up my spine at his grin which now appeared slightly feral in quality._

_I turned my eyes swiftly away, a lump rising in my throat. The window beside me showed stars moving by. My breath frosted the glass. Would I ever see Kasuf and the rest of the Abydonians ever again? Where was this man taking us? I was afraid and my slight body shook beneath its restraints._

_Closing my eyes, I took several deep breaths and leaned back in my seat, resigning myself to my fate . . . whatever that was to be._

The ship did not land on a planet, but was instead taken up into another ship: a larger ship. It was a Goa'uld mother ship. I knew then that how the man had known Skaara's name. Klorel had told him. The man was a bounty hunter, and I had fallen easily into his trap.

The bounty hunter led the now silent children and me out of the ship and toward a circle in the ground. Pressing a button, he gave me a grin as transport rings came out of the ground, surrounding us and transporting us to another part of the ship. Where we ended up caused the children to gasp in terror and awe.

The room was completely made of gold. It shimmered and glowed in the light of the torches on the wall. Several serpent guards stood along the walls and the light cast dark shadows across their chests. The golden floor blazed like fire as the flames of the torches flickered and danced. We stepped forward hesitantly, only because the bounty hunter pressed his weapon against us. A weapon I had not noticed until just then.

A golden throne stood in front of us. No one was on it, but a door to the left began to open and we were forced down upon our knees as a booming voice from somewhere behind us told us sternly to kneel before our lord Klorel.

The golden floor felt cold as I pressed my forehead against it: a strange sensation considering its appearance. I could hear the children's sobbing breaths beside me as they struggled to remain silent although they were deathly afraid. They were only children. The youngest could not have been older than twelve. At sixteen I was the oldest of the group and I tried to shush them comfortingly. I was struck harshly over the head for my attempt and told to be quiet.

The rustling of a long robe brushing against the floor caught my ear. I lifted my gaze only slightly in order to catch the sight of sandaled feet making their way up small golden steps to the throne. They turned slowly and there was an increased rustling noise as Klorel sat upon his throne.

He commanded us to rise in the deep resonant voice of the Goa'uld.

_We rose up onto our knees and as I shifted my eyes from the golden sandals to the face of Klorel, my heart stopped within me as I beheld the face of Skaara, his features now harsh and cold. There was no open curiosity in this face. The eyes glowed and showed no sign of innocence; no sign of tenderness. The lips were tight and firm with severity; no soft curling smile of wonder to be seen. My heart broke in two at this revelation._

_His cold, piercing eyes roved over each one of us. I could feel several children shake and tremble under his harsh gaze. I did my best to hold my head high even though I felt nauseated. Finally he saw me. Our eyes met. I saw a flicker of something, a twitch in his countenance. Was it Skaara trying to push back the evil mind of the Goa'uld Klorel?_

_But as swiftly as it had appeared it was gone again. However he continued to look at me and a small smug smile curved his lips. He pointed one gold tipped finger at me and I noticed he wore ribbon device. I wondered if it was the same one he had used on O'Neill during the escape from Chulak._

"_Bring her to me," Klorel said._

_They grabbed my arms and dragged me over to him, dumping me at his feet. I stood slowly, straightening my skirt and robes before lifting my head to look up at him. I have often wished to increase in stature, and this moment was no exception. I felt more vulnerable and fragile than I have ever felt in this lifetime. I could not help but tremble as he stared down at me and locked my eyes in an intense gaze._

"_You," he said softly, taking my chin gently between his fingers. "The girl with the hair black as raw naquadah and eyes the color of the midday sky. Tell me: do you not fear me?" He must have asked for I had not removed my gaze from his. His fingers tightened on my face._

_I felt a tremor go through me as I looked into the eyes of the boy I once knew. Klorel had stolen his body and the being that stood before me bore the soul of something evil. It hurt my very core to have Skaara so close yet so far away._

"_I asked you a question," Klorel barked at me sharply, causing me to my jump._

"_Yes," I said as forcefully as I could while still trembling. "Yes I am afraid."_

_He slowly let go of my chin and lowered his hand, a smirk slowly appearing on his lips. "Good," he said, nodding absentmindedly. He waved a hand at the guards to take me back to the others but kept his eyes on me. I finally lowered my own eyes to the golden ground._

He dismissed us and we were taken from the room. The children and I were separated although we protested greatly. I was taken to a glorious room. I did not understand it at first. There was a large bed against the left wall and a large, soft rug on the ground depicting two serpents intertwining. The bed posts had a serpent curling around each one with gold engraved into their scales. There was a large window across the room from the door and I could see the stars moving past.

_The wardrobe was made out of gold and when I walked over to open it, I discovered several beautifully made robes full of colorful thread. I turned questioning eyes upon the Jaffa guard that stood just inside the door and asked what all this was for._

"_For Klorel's favorite slave, of course," he answered with a smirk._

_I felt my jaw tighten. Did he think I would grow to respect him simply because he gave me nice quarters and good treatment? I was not that materialistic. I preferred Kasuf's humble tent on Abydos than this place. At least his residence felt like home. This, for all its luxuries, was a prison._

"_Klorel orders are for you to get dressed and then to come to him in his private quarters," the Jaffa guard continued. I would have refused, but I did not have the courage. Therefore I only nodded meekly and waited until he had turned away before slipping out of my Abydonian garb and pulling on one of the proffered outfits. I chose a simple one. It was an aquamarine blue that matched my eyes, trimmed with gold. Accessories included a golden circlet for my head, a golden belt, and golden sandals._

_When I had changed I looked longingly at my Abydonian robes. Sha'uri had made them for me. I could not let them burn the garments. I folded them neatly and moved over to the bed. I slipped them into the silk pillowcase and prayed that no one would discover them._

_I moved to the door and let myself out. The Jaffa guard took my elbow and led me rather roughly down the hall. I let him, knowing I was far too slight to attempt escape. My foot slowed me down but I struggled to keep up the best I could. We came to Klorel's quarters and the Jaffa guard simply knocked harshly and then pushed me inside as soon as he knew his master was inside._

_Stumbling inside, I caught myself on the door to keep myself from falling. Klorel was standing with his back to me, looking out of his own window that overlooked the stars._

"_You sent for me," I said softly, purposefully not adding any sort of respectful title in my sentence but not saying the phrase scornfully either. I was too cowardly to attempt to give him a sarcastic tone._

"_I did," came the rumbling voice of the Goa'uld. My heart sank. Somewhere inside of me I had hoped that it had been Skaara who had wanted to see me. He turned slowly and observed me with detached interest._

"_Interesting that my host would remember your exact measurements," he said absentmindedly, looking somewhere beyond my shoulder._

_I did not blush for it was not as he was implying and I knew both Skaara and I knew the real reason he could recall my measurements. He had been present when his sister made me my Abydonian clothing. I folded my hands behind my back and waited._

"_I suppose you are wondering why I showed favor to you," Klorel said, turning to me finally and observing me with those dark eyes. Skaara's eyes . . . the eyes he had stolen. They were still beautiful, but in a cold, harsh way that did not belong to the wonderful Abydonian boy I had met many months ago._

"_Yes," I answered simply, refusing to be moved by the familiarity of the Serpent Prince._

"_My host thought of you often when I first took his body," Klorel said thoughtfully. "This intrigued me. Especially when you remained. Over time I believed you would fade from his memory, but you did not."_

"_He cares about me," I said quietly. "And I care about him. We are very close friends."_

_Klorel observed me curiously. "So it would seem."_

"_Let me talk to him," I pleaded, gathering my small amount of courage and stepping forward slightly._

_His face hardened and he stepped back, his expression stoic. "Nothing of the host survives," he said in a monotone voice._

_I frowned. "I do not understand. You were just speaking about how Skaara thinks about me. Surely he would not be able to think if he had not survived."_

_Klorel seemed caught off his guard by my words. Then his face hardened and his eyes glowed. He thrust out his hand and pointed an accusing finger at me._

"_You will not contradict me!" he shouted._

_I flinched and retreated my gaze to the ground, unable to look upon his glaring features. Skaara had never grown this angry, especially not with me. It was unnatural to see his face change so terribly. Klorel was breathing heavily and he waved a hand at me in dismissal._

"_Leave my sight," he commanded me. "I shall send for you later." He turned away abruptly and strode over to the window once more. I could see the muscles of his back tense up. For a moment I saw Skaara and stepped forward. Then my senses returned and I realized attempting to comfort this being would only result in harsh punishment._

_I turned away slowly and hobbled out of the room, confused by the exchange and reminding myself that Skaara no longer resided in that body. Only Klorel._

_If only I could believe it._

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**I hope that was not too confusing. Reviews inspire to write more! So if you want more . . . review! :-P**


	3. The Serpent's Lair

**Chapter Two:**

**The Serpent's Lair**

The room I was given was very spacious and comfortable. I was treated well, and I had the privilege of moving about my side of the ship freely. However I was restricted to that area and could go no further in any direction. There was always a Jaffa or Serpent Guard on watch, making sure I did not attempt escape.

They had not found the Abydonian clothes I had hidden in the pillow case. This was surprising, but was explained by the fact that no one ever stepped foot in my room for many days. I was left to my own devices. Unfortunately I was not allowed to see the children who had come with me. I thought of them often, wondering what had become of them.

The fifth day of my capture, I received a visitor. A man whom I expected had been ordered to bring me to Klorel. The Goa'uld had not sent for me since that first day I had been taken to him. The man did not speak until he was inside the room and had closed the door behind him. He studied me for a moment and I began to grow curious.

He told me that he was one of the Tok'ra, and that he had come here as a spy. I did not understand why he was telling me this, at least not at the beginning. As he continued to speak I began to sense that he wanted my help. In the end I found I was correct.

I told him I could not be a spy, I was neither strong in will or in courage. I had no doubt I would be found out and Klorel would surely kill me. The Tok'ra said he understood, but continued to say that he was there for me if I ever needed any assistance. I thanked him and he left. I wondered at this occurrence for quite some time, wondering if I could ever have enough courage to do something so dangerous yet so valiant.

Nothing interesting happened for the rest of that day. At least, nothing of consequence.

_There was a man who visited me that day: one of Apophis's most loyal underlords who now served Klorel. Lord Zipacna was his name. He strode into the room as though he believed he owned it. He stared down at my fragile form with contempt._

"_So this is Kyra, the exotic beauty Klorel demanded." He spoke condescendingly. "To think he hired a bounty hunter to find you."_

_He reached forward and roughly grabbed my face in his large hand. I was largely afraid and found I could do nothing but stare up at him._

"_What do you have that is so valuable to my Lord Klorel?" he demanded._

"_I assure you," I said softly, trying hard to keep my voice from trembling. "I do not know."_

_He sneered at me but released his grip on me. "He has not sent for you since you came, so it cannot be physical gain. Unless he his biding his time." His eyes roved over my body and my hands clenched as my body shook in fear and anger._

"_Is there something you want?" I asked with a gathering of courage._

"_I desire many things, young Kyra," the Goa'uld said, turning from me. "The question is: how do I acquire them?" He turned back to me and locked me with his gaze._

"_You shall assist me," he said. "You shall have Lord Klorel promote me."_

"_You may have been misinformed. We are not on speaking terms at the moment," I pointed out. I was given no answer besides a smug grin._

_Turning from me once more, he strode toward the door, pausing briefly before he left the room._

"_It would behoove you to know that one of your Abydonian friends has been given to me as a personal slave. I would hate to have something . . . terrible happen to him."_

_My face paled. I recognized the threat he had put forth so unsubtly. I stepped forward but he left the room before I could respond. I felt a sinking feeling enter my stomach. How was I to influence Klorel in anyway? He did not even want to see me._

_That thought was premature however, for the very next instant my Jaffa guard came in and informed me that Klorel requested my presence. I felt numb as I limped over to the Jaffa and let him take my arm to assist me quickly to the Prince's chambers. The guard left us and I remained standing where I was, watching Klorel who currently had his back to me._

"_Tell me, human," he said as he turned slowly to face me. My breath froze once more to hear the Goa'uld's voice come through Skaara's lips. "How close were you to my host?"_

_I clasped my hands tightly in front of me in order to have something solid to grip. "Very," I answered._

_Klorel did not look pleased at my brief response. "Expound," he ordered, moving over to a couch and settling down on it. He watched me closely._

"_He taught me the language of the Tau'ri," I said, refusing to move. He did not seem to like talking to me from across the room for he beckoned for me to come and sit before him._

_I moved mechanically and took a seat on the rug that the couch rested on, keeping my gaze on its wooden pegs. "He and his sister taught me many things of the Abydonians and of the Tau'ri. Skaara and Sha'uri were my closest companions."_

_I lifted my eyes to watch him as I spoke the name of his sister. No reaction was forthcoming. It was as if I had not even mentioned her. He shifted and arose into a sitting position with his elbows on his knees. He leaned forward and looked me in the eyes. It took much courage to hold his gaze._

"_You are afraid of me," he said softly._

"_Yes," I said honestly._

_He reached forward with his right hand and touched my cheek lightly, studying my face. "This is good," he murmured. "If you fear me, you will obey me."_

_I stiffened. "I only obey you because I fear for the lives of my friends."_

"_You are not afraid to die?" he asked in surprise, raising an eyebrow and leaning back._

_I hesitated before answering. "There is a part of me that fears death," I admitted. "But if I loved someone enough . . . I would die for them."_

"_Apophis is your god," Klorel stated. "Do you not love him? Would you not die for him?"_

_I gritted my teeth. "I would not," I said truthfully._

_Klorel's eyes blazed in anger. Reaching forward with the swiftness of a snake, he curled his fingers around my delicate neck, breathing heavily._

"_I am your Master now," he hissed. I looked back at him passively, wondering what he would do. Searching his eyes, I looked for any sign of Skaara. I found none; however I knew he was in there somewhere._

"_Would you die for me?" he asked, his eyes blazing with the power of the Goa'uld. His fingers tightened around my throat._

"_No," I said firmly, although my slight body was shaking. "But I would die for him."_

_I offered no explanation as to whom I was referring, but there was no need. Klorel realized who I was speaking off. His hand slipped away from my neck and he stood. I followed suit slowly. Skaara was not a tall young man, but I still stood a couple hands lower and had to tilt my head to look up at him for our close proximity._

_He stared down at me, and I up at him. Lifting his hand once more, he ran his fingers through my long, straight black hair contemplatively._

"_You care for him that much," he spoke his words in statement form, not as an inquiry._

"_We spent more than half a year side by side," I said, trying desperately to keep my heart hardened against Klorel despite the fact that for all appearances it seemed like my Skaara was before me. "How could I not?"_

"_You intrigue me human," Klorel confessed, turning from me and striding over to the window, clasping his hands behind his back as he stared out of it. "You speak of things I know nothing about."_

_I ventured to speak of something I believed could bring trouble upon myself._

"_I believe you do know about it," I said, stepping toward him slightly. "You care for your father, do you not? You long for his approval and his love. Is that not true?"_

_He did not speak for a long moment, however I could sense him tensing and a long, oppressive silence fell over the room. I was about to apologize for my words, when he spoke._

"_Now it is you who speaks of things you know nothing about." His voice was stern and somewhat patronizing, as though he was speaking to a child. I wondered what age Klorel was. I knew Skaara had to be around eighteen years of age now._

"_Forgive me," I said softly, turning my gaze to the ground. "I spoke out of turn." I did not say this because he was my 'Master,' but because it was the correct way to respond in a situation such as this._

"_Leave me now," he growled and I could tell he had begun to grit his teeth._

"_Let me speak to Skaara first," I said, against my better judgment._

_He whirled around and glared at me, eyes blazing. "I gave you a direct order and I expect you to obey!" he declared in a loud voice that made me flinch. However by some miracle I stood my ground._

"_I want to speak with him," I said, trembling all over but refusing to back down._

"_Insolence!" Klorel cried. He lifted a hand as if to strike me but hesitated briefly and I thought I could see conflict behind his cold, angry eyes. Could it have been Skaara attempting to push his consciousness forward? I never found out however, for the conflict disappeared and Klorel won._

_My cheek stung from the backhand that was delivered to me. My mind could barely comprehend the unusual quality of the scene. Skaara had never raised his voice to me, yet I had just felt his hand come in contact with my face in a way I never would have dreamed probable._

"_Now leave my sight," Klorel demanded through clenched teeth. Cupping my hand to my reddening cheek, I turned away swiftly without so much as an inclination of my head to show him respect. I left quickly and retired to my quarters._

I saw the Tok'ra again the next day. He told me his name: Farreen. He spoke to me privately for a while, although not about anything pertaining to our situation. It was more of a conversational environment. We spoke about my homeworld of Rict'ta'tica. I told him about my family: of my little sisters Rya'le'lena and Dyra'la'loni, with their black curls and bright, curious green eyes. They followed me everywhere, always asking questions.

I told him of my mother, with her black hair in ringlets like my sisters, and her light green eyes full of wisdom, patience, and love. I told him of my father, from whom I got my straight black hair and sky blue eyes. He had been tall, handsome, and strong: a prestigious member of Rict'ta'tica's High Council. He was well loved by many.

Farreen listened to me as a good friend would listen. He smiled encouragingly and laughed when I told him of my sister's antics. Over the course of the day, we grew closer and I soon considered him a dear friend.

Before he left he asked me once more if I would join the resistance aboard the ship. I actually considered it this time, but had to decline. My standing with Klorel remained poor and I knew he would not trust me with any information that could be useful to the Tok'ra. As it was, I doubted I could even fulfill Zipacna's demand. Farreen said he understood. He left me alone then and I lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. My mind turned to my conversation with Klorel. My chances of ever seeing Skaara again seemed to fade further away the more time I spent with Klorel. It made my heart break but I realized I had to accept reality.

Skaara was never coming back.

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**It's hard to write for an evil being like Klorel when I have Skaara's face stuck in my head. :-P **

**Reviews make me feel warm and fuzzy inside! :-D**


	4. The Serpent's Venom

**A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in forever. I didn't have internet for the longest time. :-(**

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**Chapter Three:**

**The Serpent's Venom**

Days turned into weeks. I began to give up all hope of rescue or escape. Farreen attempted to raise up my confidence, but there was little he could do. My mind kept returning to Abydos. I missed Kasuf, my surrogate father. I missed the sunrises, and the sunsets. I missed the feel of sand beneath my feet. I missed the time spent running up and down sand dunes with Skaara and the other Abydonian children, laughing with carefree hearts.

**Flashback**

_Skaara's face was bright and mischievous when I turned from drawing water from the well. I started in surprise at his sudden appearance. I had assumed he was watching the Chappa'ai with Dan'yell. However I could not keep a smile from curling itself over my lips._

"_Skaara," I scolded gently in Abydonian, the language he and Sha'uri had taught me. "You nearly made me drop our water."_

"_I'm sorry," he said, although the sincerity of his words was questionable; the mischievous grin never left his face. With the swiftness of a rabbit retreating into its burrow with a fox at its heels, Skaara reached forward and took my arm in his grasp._

"_Come with me," he said, tugging gently. I shifted my gaze from the bucket of liquid sitting on the well wall, then into my best friend's eager face._

"_The water . . ." I said without much conviction. He waved his free hand in dismissal._

"_Sha'uri will take it," he said. "Come now!" He tugged harder._

_I relented finally, with a sigh. "Very well, but only for a little while." He grinned widely and began leading me through the tents out into the wilderness beyond. Several other children were there waiting for us. Among them were Raaka and Opitu, two young boys known for their antics. They grinned and nudged each other with knowing looks directed at us that I had not understood at the time._

"_We're racing across the dunes," Raaka said, approaching us._

_Skaara nodded emphatically. "We shall defeat you all!" he boasted, grabbing my hand and lifting it into the air with his own in a victorious punch._

_I laughed at first but sobered quickly when I remembered my foot. How could Skaara have forgotten it?_

"_Skaara," I said softly, bringing my arm down along with mine. "I cannot." I lifted my skirt to show him my deformity. He stared down at my grotesquely twisted foot and then looked up at me, his eyes still shining._

"_Do not worry," he said reassuringly. "I have a plan."_

_I did not have time to ask what his plan was. The children had lined themselves for the race. Before I realized what was occurring, Skaara grabbed me and easily swung me up on his back. I was shocked into compliance, wrapping my legs around his waist and holding on to his shoulders tightly as he began running down the dune._

_Bouncing up and down, I looked around to see if we were in the lead. We were however, the children were quickly gaining. I could not help but laugh at the exhilaration I felt as I rode upon Skaara's strong back. For once I was glad of my short stature and slight form for I could not have weighed more than a small child. _

_We reached the end mark only seconds before Raaka and Opitu and the rest of the Abydonian children. It was then that Skaara collapsed, his legs giving out after the strain of carrying the added weight through shifting sand. I fell atop him and felt him laughing beneath me. I hurried to right myself and attempted to help Skaara to his feet as well. Unfortunately he was laughing too hard to stand upright for very long. The younger children tackled him and they were soon a wiggling mass of laughter and fun. I remained a few steps away, watching with a smile on my face._

_That was the day before O'Neill and his companions entered the pyramid through the Chappa'ai. That was the last day I saw Skaara laugh. His last day of innocence._

**End Flashback**

I sincerely missed those times. My heart ached to think of them. Many nights I sat alone on my expansive bed, knees pulled up to my chest, staring vacantly at the wall opposite me, trying to make sense of the patterns of the characters as if they held a hidden message of escape in them. I found no such message and continued to despair. Farreen told me not to despair. He encouraged me to hold onto hope as though it were my lifeline. However I could no longer find that hope.

My goal had been to see Skaara again. I had fallen for Klorel's trap simply because I longed to see the boy once more. But every day it seemed he continued to fall farther and farther away. Klorel seemed to grow stronger each time I returned to him after asking to see Skaara. I soon gave up on that request. Klorel would never let me speak to my best friend. It was impossible to hope.

Then one day, a month after I had been taken, everything changed.

"_Lord Klorel requests your presence at his royal dining table," the Jaffa guard announced. He entered into my room without invitation and opened my wardrobe. Drawing out a garment, he shoved it at me._

"_Dress appropriately," he said, sneering at the Abydonian clothing I had donned once more. "This is a formal affair."_

_I grimaced at the guard but he simply ignored me and exited the room. I changed quickly, not wanting to make Klorel wait for me and thus become more irritable. The outfit was gold and similar to the ones the queens in the pictures in a book of Egyptians that Dan'yell showed me once. The golden slippers went on my feet; the golden circlet on my head. Diamonds dangled in rows down from the circlet and rested in my hair. I smiled slightly as I thought of Raaka and Opitu's grubby fingers reaching up to snatch them from my head._

_I hobbled to the door and the Jaffa guard took me to the royal dining chamber. He left me to open the door myself. I did so, after inhaling deeply._

_Klorel looked up from his place at the head of the table. He was surrounded by scantily dressed slaves who fawned over him and hand fed him. I wrinkled my nose in distaste._

"_You sent for me," I stated, once more not using his proper title to address him. His eyes turned toward me and blazed briefly before his face relaxed into condescending smile._

"_And so you have come. I shall domesticate you yet." He waved off the slaves as I flushed at his words. The slaves seemed to disappear into the walls as he stood slowly and approached me._

"_I have been thinking," he said slowly, circling me. "I admire your strength of character. I know you must think us Goa'uld only think badly of our enemies but this is not true. I admire the Tau'ri's bravery, ignorant though they are. I am impressed at their endurance, futile as their efforts to defeat us may be. And I think highly of your courage, to stand before me in such open defiance . . . all because you care for the host which I am occupying."_

_I trembled slightly as he leaned close and whispered his words across my neck and ear. I felt confused by his words. Open defiance? Courage? I had not known I had come across as such. Even as he backed away and studied me, I felt my entire body shaking in fear. A small smirk flitted across his lips._

"_I know what you are thinking," he said, stepping close to me again. I backed up a step. "You do not think you are strong. But Kyra, you _are_ strong. Very strong." He reached over and took a handful of my long hair, holding it up to his nose as though he was inhaling its scent. He closed his eyes as he did so and then opened them, staring straight into my eyes as if he was staring straight into my soul._

"_You would make a perfect host for my mate," he said softly and my blood stopped cold._

"_She-she would not want me," I stammered, backing away hurriedly. "My foot." I lifted my skirt hurriedly so that he could see the ugly deformity and be reminded of it. To my dismay, he did not even glance down at it._

"_The sarcophagus shall heal you," he said, motioning to two of the Jaffa guards that stood by the door. They grabbed my arms and it was then that I realized what was going to occur. I started struggling although I knew my efforts were futile for I was but a small girl and the Jaffa men were warriors._

"_You cannot do this!" I cried, watching in horror as a third Jaffa guard came forward at Klorel's gesture. They laid me on the ground and stretched out my foot. "Skaara!" I screamed as the third Jaffa took my twisted foot in his hands, ready to break the fragile bone on Klorel's order. "Skaara please!"_

_Klorel's features were a mask. If Skaara was behind those cold eyes I could not see him._

"_Nothing of the host survives." He recited the philosophy of the Goa'uld impassively. I gritted my teeth, tears running down my face as I waited for the sharp pull and the pain. I kicked and struggled, scratching and biting at the arms that held me. I would not let them to this to me. I would not become a host for a Goa'uld._

_The Jaffa did not seem to have expected such a resistance. At one point I was able to get away and I latched on to Klorel's legs, holding him tightly._

"_That's not true!" I shouted in desperation, looking up into his cool expression. "I've seen him! I've seen him in your eyes. He's there!"_

"_Silence woman!" Klorel shouted, eyes glowing in fierce anger at my impetuousness. Lifting his hand, he pointed the ribbon device at my forehead, ready to render me unconscious, or perhaps to kill me, I could not tell which._

_However, before he could, Farreen burst into the room, his light hair, usually so well kept, now in a state of disarray. Klorel whirled around, eyes blazing._

"_What is the meaning of this interruption?" he demanded while I shook and sobbed on the floor where Klorel had left me. I dared not look up at Farreen, lest Klorel discover our friendship._

"_My lord," Farreen said in a slightly fearful tone. "The mother ships of Heru'ur have been spotted approaching from the east. He plans to invade us!"_

_For the first time since I had come in contact with him, I saw Klorel look truly frightened. His bronze skin lost some of its color and he stood completely still for several tense seconds. I rose slowly from my place on the floor. Farreen glanced at me but did not acknowledge my presence. Instead he turned to Klorel._

"_My lord?" he inquired._

_Klorel started at Farreen's voice. He turned and looked at us all with indecision in his eyes. Before he could say anything the ship began to shake and I knew Heru'ur's ships had surrounded us. There was nothing Klorel could do._

_He finally drew himself out of his daze and turned to us with eyes full of anger. He pointed to two of the Jaffa who had held me and beckoned to them._

"_We must prepare for the attack," he said, his voice strained. He moved to the door swiftly. The third Jaffa guard took my arm._

"_What about her?" he asked, shaking me slightly._

_Klorel glanced sharply at me and again I saw the flicker that was Skaara. My heart leaped to my throat as I awaited his response. There came none. Turning away from us, he left without answering. Farreen stepped forward._

"_Leave her with me," he told the guard. The Jaffa looked skeptical, but the ship began to shake once more and therefore he left without further questioning. I turned to Farreen with tearful and grateful eyes._

"_Thank you," I whispered. He nodded briskly._

"_Let us get you away from this place," he said, helping me along so that we could go quickly. We passed by my room and I stopped in order to retrieve my Abydonian garments. My Jaffa guard stood by my side as I did so._

"_You need to leave this ship immediately," he said urgently, his face showing emotion for the first time since I had seen him. Emotion of concern. I looked up at him, surprised._

"_Hurry!" he begged, shoving me out the door. I stumbled as I walked as fast as I could while dragging my useless foot a couple centimeters behind me. Farreen and the Jaffa exchanged a knowing look I did not understand. We rounded a corner only to be faced with several of Heru'ur's Horus guards._

"_Go!" the Jaffa shouted, leveling his staff weapon at the Horus guards. Before I realized what was happening, Farreen had taken me by the shoulders and had led me away as blasts and shouts were heard behind us. It was only when we were several yards away that I realized the Jaffa had just sacrificed his life for me . . . and I had never even learned his name._

"_There should be an escape vessel you can fit in," Farreen said as he pulled me down the expansive hallways of Klorel's mother ship. I felt true fear grip my bowels in a tight fist, causing me to double over and pant for breath, my face pale._

"_Do not stop, I fear they will be upon us soon!" Farreen reached down and took my hand, his dark gray eyes sincerely worried for my well being. My mind suddenly turned to the Abydonian children who had been taken along with me to this accursed place. I could not leave them for Heru'ur's Horus guards to discover._

_Tearing my hand away from the strong, sturdy one of Farreen, I turned suddenly and headed toward the slave's quarters quickly, my foot dragging painfully. Farreen watched me in dismay._

"_Kyra, no!" he called, running to catch up with me. The ship shook so that I fell to the ground, winded. Heru'ur was attacking in force now._

"_I cannot leave them!" I told Farreen stubbornly, picking myself up from the floor and limped as swiftly as I could. Turning the snake that opened the door, I entered the room only to be grabbed from behind. I saw that I was too late. The children had been rounded up and the Horus guards were surrounding them._

_I kicked and struggled with the one that held me but he was strong. I dared not glance behind me to see how Farreen was faring._

"_She wears the robes of a princess," one said in the deep voice of a Jaffa. "Yet she is not a Goa'uld."_

"_A favorite of Klorel's?" the one that held me suggested. A barely perceptible nod gave the answer the guards were looking for. A zat'ni'katel was aimed at me and engaged. I cried out in pain as the first shot hit me and ribbons of electric fire course through my veins. As my vision blurred, I waited for the next firing that would end my life. It did not come and my world was engulfed in darkness. _

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**The next chapters will come soon. As soon as I get reveiws that is. ;-)**


	5. The Serpent's Song

**Chapter Four:**

**The Serpent's Song**

Heru'ur's ships had destroyed Klorel's; his guards had taken me and the rest of the Abydonian children as prisoners. They kept me in a separate cage than the others, although we were directly in front of each other so I could see their frightened faces clearly. I thought often of Farreen, wondering if he had made it out of the ship alive. I also thought of Klorel. Was Heru'ur torturing him? Was the System Lord going to kill him? Was there any hope for escape?

They fed us only bread and water for the first five days. On the sixth day Heru'ur himself came down to see the one called "Klorel's Favored One." He stared down at me for a long time before moving away without a word. However from that day forward I was given some fruit along with my bread and water every other day. I shared with the other children what I could toss to them through the bars of my prison.

If Klorel's guards were stern, Heru'ur's were even more severe. They barely glanced at us during their rounds. If one of the children cried or whimpered they were immediately punished with one light touch of a pain stick. They soon learned to remain still and quiet. I saw neither Heru'ur nor Klorel again until the second week on the ship.

_The guards came without warning or fanfare. They walked briskly in and stopped at my cage. I looked up at them without emotion; my fear had turned to a dead feeling within me. I had given up all hope of rescue, without Farreen's comforting words to give me strength. They opened the door and reached in to take me by the arms and lift me up. They half-led, half-dragged me out of the dark room, seeming to take no notice of my crippled state._

_They brought me to Heru'ur's chambers, which was covered in gold much like Klorel's had been. The Goa'uld was standing over a bowed figure, two Horus guards flanking it, each holding a pain stick. His eyes blazed with sadistic pleasure when he saw me._

"_And here she is now, the Abydonian princess who has captured Klorel's heart. You shall be useful to me now." He gestured for the guards to bring me to him. Taking my face in his cold, manicured fingers, he studied me._

"_Yes," he murmured. "You shall do quite well." Gripping tighter, he forced my gaze upon the figure which crouched on the ground before us. "Behold, your Serpent Prince!"_

_The guards on either side of the figure grabbed the limp arms and forced him upwards. His head was still bowed but slowly it rose until his eyes met my own. My heart leapt to my throat when I saw the fear and horror in them. This was not Klorel. This, his face covered in dry blood, was Skaara._

_The Goa'uld inside of him must have suffered injuries too severe to stay in control of the body; that was my only explanation. I bit my lip harshly to keep from crying out. Heru'ur must not have known it was Skaara before him; otherwise he might not have brought me to this place._

_The fear I saw in Skaara's eyes tore into my heart and I wanted nothing more than to kneel beside him and wrap my arms around him. But I dared not even look at him for long, lest Heru'ur sense something was amiss. I tore my gaze away from his and studied the floor._

"_What do you say Klorel? Shall you watch your precious slave be tortured severely for your silence? Or will you tell me the location of the Nox?"_

_I started in surprise. Why would Klorel not tell Heru'ur about the Nox? Where they not allies? The only conclusion I could come to was that Klorel was afraid of disappointing his father once more in allowing Heru'ur to discover the Nox's power before Apophis did._

_With effort, Klorel appeared once more in Skaara's broken form._

"_Never," he ground out through clenched teeth._

"_Hmm, pity," Heru'ur said passively, releasing my face and nodding to one of the guards holding the pain sticks. I felt a sharp jab and then excruciating pain that sent me to my knees. I writhed on the ground before Klorel and when it stopped, I could see a battle going on behind the dark eyes above me._

"_Well?" Heru'ur demanded, growing impatient._

_I shook my head as firmly as I could for Skaara's benefit, knowing from stories that if the System Lords ever discovered the Nox and took their power, it would be disastrous for all. Klorel had retreated once more to tend to his wounds, leaving Skaara to make this decision himself. With a grimace of pain, he spat on the floor._

"_I will never give in to you," he said with such conviction that my heart began to pound in fear for him. Heru'ur simply looked at us impassively. He nodded to the guards who touched us both with the pain sticks. I could not help but scream at the pain that ripped through me. Skaara was yelling as well and tears began spilling over my cheeks as I watched him suffer._

"_Perhaps a couple days without nourishment will change your mind," Heru'ur stated after a moment. He nodded once more to the guards. They lifted us up to our feet and dragged us out of the room for we could not support ourselves to walk._

_My heart sank as we arrived at my caged prison. They tossed us unceremoniously inside it and the door clanged loudly behind us. They stepped away without a sound and retreated out of the room. The tears continued to make their way down my pale cheeks as I crawled over to Skaara's still form. Turning him over gently, I placed his head in my lap and stroked his blood covered face tenderly._

"_Skaara," I sobbed. "Oh Skaara." __My tears flowed freely now and dripped upon the face beneath mine, beautiful still even as it was now, covered in blood._

_Coughing horribly, Skaara lifted a shaking hand and touched my tearstained face with his calloused fingers. I reached up and grasped his hand in my own. He tried to speak but I shook my head, resting my finger atop his lips to keep him from attempting speech._

"_Just rest." I spoke softly, my words almost choking me on their way out. His eyes closed and his breathing, though labored, evened out so I knew Klorel had begun work on fixing his host's body._

_I sat there for a long time, stroking his face and trying to calm my nerves. I started humming after a while, simply trying to pass the time without falling asleep myself. I wanted to be sure I was there for Skaara if he ever woke up. The song I was humming was a lullaby Sha'uri had taught me. _

_Singing over a newborn in the camp, she had welcomed me to sit beside her and listen. When I asked how it went, she taught it to me. Looking down at Skaara now, I missed the kind and beautiful Abydonian woman. I had been present the funeral and had stood beside Kasuf as the ceremony took place. Did Skaara know about his sister's death? Surely Klorel would have been informed of Amunet's attempt at capturing the Abydonians. I had not been taken with them, but had hidden myself in pyramid when the Serpent Guards had come._

_I had to hear about her death from Kasuf and we had wept together. Humming this lullaby over her little brother felt somehow like a tribute to her. I could almost feel her presence with us now, gathering us in her arms as she often did during the more intense sand storms of Abydos._

_My twisted foot started to throb painfully after a long while. I laid his head carefully on the ground and then laid down close beside him, resting my head on his chest, closing my eyes and listening to the sound of his heart beating rapidly. I felt the rise and fall of his chest and the rhythm slowly caused my humming to cease and my body to relax. Before I realized it, I had drifted to sleep._

_I was awakened rather harshly by a pair of strong arms pushing me away from the warm body I had slept next to. I opened my eyes only to be confronted by the glowing eyes of Klorel. Apparently he had healed during the night, snatching my Skaara away from me once more._

"_You will not come so near me again," he hissed through gritted teeth, his face so close to mine that I could feel his words whisper across my cheek on his breath. I turned my face away._

"_As you wish," I murmured, not wanting to anger Klorel in such tight quarters._

_He stood fluidly, his muscular body seeming larger in the small cage. He gripped the bars and pulled against them, growing frustrated when they did not bend to his will._

"_Do you not know who I am?" he shouted to the guards. "I am Klorel, son of Apophis. You will free me!"_

_The guards did not even acknowledge his presence. He growled in anger and turned to me. It barely registered that he was approaching before he was on me, his fingers wrapped around my throat as he lifted me and pressed me against the iron bars of our prison._

"_You and your family will pay for what you did to me," he growled. I struggled to remove his hands while fighting for breath._

"_I did nothing!" I insisted, clawing at his fingers. He released me hurriedly just as blackness began to descend, as though he knew I could do nothing for him if dead._

"_Heru'ur desires my knowledge," Klorel said thoughtfully, not even glancing at my sprawled form. Chest heaving, I looked up at him, wondering what had possessed him to speak his thoughts aloud. "Only he shall not obtain it," the Goa'uld went on. "I shall remove myself from this place and destroy him before he gets in the way of my ruling the galaxy. It is as my father willed it. It is my destiny."_

"_Not if you cannot escape," I pointed out, even though I felt my opinion was not desired. He merely glanced at me then looked away._

"_Lord Zipacna was not captured," I added after a lengthy pause. Klorel began to pace up and down the small space we had been given. I watched him cautiously. "Perhaps he will help you." I remembered then the promise I had made to ask Klorel for Zipacna's promotion. I thought the request trivial at this time._

"_Zipacna is mercenary," Klorel said, dismissing my suggestion. "He will serve whoever serves him best. I have always been good to him however. We shall see if that makes any difference." He ceased pacing and stood still, his hands clasped behind him, his head bowed. I watched the tense muscles of his back move slightly through his sheer gold tunic as his shoulders slumped forward and I knew he feared for his life._

"_You are strong and resourceful," I said softly. "You will find a chance to escape, and when you do you shall take it and be far away before anyone can stop you."_

_Klorel did not respond for a moment before turning his profile toward me. "Perhaps," he said softly, glancing over at me. "You are more useful than I originally presumed." He smiled then, a condescending smile with hint of sincerity. I forced myself to give at least a weak smile in return._

_He turned suddenly and sat on the floor before me, cocking his head and studying me. "I suppose I should be grateful to you," he mused. I tilted my own head, wondering what he meant. "It was your presence that kept my host fighting to stay alive as I worked on our wounds last night. They were quite severe. We could have died."_

"_I do not wish for Skaara to die," I said quietly, surprised by his words but not sure of their authenticity._

_Another small smile played around Klorel's lips. "Yet you wish for me to," he said. I did not respond, only turned my gaze upon the filthy floor beneath us. He chuckled softly. "I am afraid, Kyra from Abydos, I do not plan to die for a very, very long time. And unfortunately for you, I enjoy living within this host very much. So Kyra'lo'lani, there is no one to live or die for but me: Klorel."_

_He laughed then, laughed at my tortured look. I wanted to spit in his face. I wanted to tear at his regal clothes. I wanted to slap his scornful mouth. But I did not have the courage. Instead I only turned away, curling my body into a tight ball as I lay down upon the floor. The laughter died away soon after and neither of us spoke for the rest of the night._

Heru'ur called both me and Klorel in to see him periodically throughout the week, each time attempting to gather some information about the enemies of the Goa'uld that he assumed Klorel knew. Sometimes he sincerely did not know the answers to the questions given him by Heru'ur. Those times resulted in minimal torture and Klorel and I were taken back to the cage. The times he refused to give up information Heru'ur knew his prisoner knew, the pain was quite substantial and it was Skaara who shared the prison with me. I never let him speak however, wanting him to save his strength so that Klorel would succeed in healing his wounds. My wounds healed less quickly.

_One day, about the third week of our capture, Klorel spoke to me. I had been tending to an abrasion on my cheek when he knelt in front of me, his eyes curious._

"_What is that you sing while my host lies in your arms at night?" he asked, frowning slightly. I was hesitant to answer._

"_It is a song from the world of Abydos. Sha'uri, the sister of Skaara, taught it to me." Again I watched his reaction to the name 'Sha'uri,' wondering once more if Skaara knew of his sister's fate. There came no reaction, and his face remained closed of any emotion._

"_Sing it to me," Klorel demanded, catching me off my guard. I dared not ask why but instead began singing the sweet tune softly, watching him expression closely. It remained impassive. As I drew near to the end of the lullaby, his lips lifted into a sneer._

"_Sentimentality," he said with slight scorn. "One of your kind's greatest weakness."_

_I frowned. "It is a song full of love," I said. "And it was sung lovingly for me. Love is not a weakness. It is stronger than the Goa'uld could ever be and it has lasted and will last longer than they ever will."_

_His eyes blazed with irritation at my answer and I knew he could not think of a harsh response._

"_Your song offends me," he said after a long moment. "You shall not sing it again in my presence."_

"_Are you afraid of it?" I asked boldly, surprising myself. "Are you afraid of the strength of the love brought forth by and through the song?"_

_Klorel's face darkened and his eyes glowed fiercely with his anger. "The Serpent Lord is not afraid of any _song_," he spat, bringing up his hand as if to strike me. I continued to look at him, continuing to be surprised by my bravery._

"_The Serpent Lord has a song of his own," I countered. "One of fear and hatred, yet there is also longing in it. A desire to know the love I speak of. You yearn to be accepted and loved by your father but you continue only to be a disappointment."_

_He did strike me then. A solid backhand to my face, so strong it knocked me to the floor. He stood slowly and frowned deeply down at me._

"_You cease to amuse me," he said in a dangerously calm tone of voice. "When I remove myself from this place, you shall be duly punished for your insolence."_

_He turned his back on me then, and we did not speak again._

Heru'ur's ship began to orbit a planet called Ottonca. Heru'ur called for Klorel once more, but did not request for my presence this time. I was surprised but dared not question it. The children who had occupied the cage across from me had long since been taken to serve as slaves to Heru'ur. I was alone in my prison for a long time.

I was just beginning to get drowsy when the door opened and one of the Horus Guards entered. I stood slowly as he approached. The helmet disengaged and I gasped to see Farreen. He quickly unlocked the cage and said I had to come with him that moment for the only way to escape would be to go through the Chappa'ai on board the ship to the planet Ottonca below. I did not want to leave Skaara but I knew this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity.

My joy at seeing Farreen again faded away to fear and anxiety as we made our way cautiously out of the prison section of the mother ship to the place where Farreen had seen the Chappa'ai. Surprisingly we encountered no resistance. He quickly put in the address to Ottonca. It was while the gate was engaging that the Horus Guards discovered our presence and rushed to stop us.

Farreen took up his staff weapon and a small battle began. I crouched behind what you call the D.H.D. and waited for the Chappa'ai to full engage. When it did I stood and made my way toward it as quickly as possible. I paused before it, turning back to see if Farreen was following. He was still fighting off the guards as more poured into the room. He shouted at me to go through the gate. I hesitated, wanting him to come with me. But I knew that if I went back, we both would be killed. Tears filled my eyes as I followed his instructions obediently.

I found myself on Ottonca where I did not wait for assistance but immediately dialed the address for Abydos. I arrived there an instant later and found, to my surprise, Kasuf waiting on the other side with several Abydonian men behind him, armed to ward off any attackers. When they saw it was only me, they relaxed and Kasuf rushed toward me with open arms. We embraced and I began weeping, so exhausted and heartbroken was I after such an ordeal.

He took me back to his tent where I had lived for the past two years and nursed me back to health. And that, my good friends, is my story.

* * *

A long silence followed my narrative. The device in front of me clicked several times before the wheels ceased their rotation. Car'ter was looking at me with an expression akin to amazement. Teal'c raised one eyebrow slowly and Dan'yell stared at me for a long moment. Even O'Neill, hardened warrior though he was, looked impressed by my tale.

"I still do not know why you asked me to relate my experience to you," I said after I had felt the weight of silence for too long.

Dan'yell cleared his throat. "Yes well, I'm not exactly sure how you'll take this but uh," he looked around at his companions as though asking for assistance but they remained unresponsive. "Skaara and Klorel escaped from Heru'ur and landed on a planet called Tollana. We're going to a Triad there that he is a part of."

My face must have paled for Car'ter looked at me with concern.

"Are you alright?" she asked, reaching across the table as though to take my hand. I nodded absentmindedly.

"No, yes I'm perfect, thank you," I said to reassure her although my mind was spinning in circles. "How is he?" I asked Dan'yell expectantly.

"The Tollan say he's fine," he answered, adjusting his glass'ez. "But we wanted to know as much as we could about him before we went to the triad. That's why we called you."

"Can I accompany you?" I asked, moving forward to sit on the edge of my seat, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the chair beneath me tightly.

"Oh uh, I don't think you can," Dan'yell told me hesitantly. My expression fell to one of extreme disappointment. He hastened to raise my spirits. "But hopefully we'll be bringing him back here to send him to Abydos so . . . you'll get to see him again. I hope."

I allowed a small smile. "As I do," I whispered, my heart thudding in my chest at the thought of seeing Skaara once more.

"We leave in the morning," Car'ter said. "You're more than welcome to stay here until we know whether or not you can see Skaara."

I nodded gratefully. "Thank you," I said. "But if I do stay, I wish to send a message to my father in order to keep him from becoming anxious at my extended absence."

"Of course," Car'ter said while I heard O'Neill mutter under his breath something about people not speaking plain English.

"Dr. Fraiser will watch over you during your stay here," General Hammond said, standing. "We'll make sure you are as comfortable as possible."

I smiled more sincerely. "Thank you again."

We stood and Dan'yell wrapped his arms around me in a tight embrace. I buried my face in his strange clothing. "Please," I murmured. "Please bring him back."

Dan'yell smoothed his hand over my hair comfortingly. "I'll try," he promised before releasing me and leaving the room with the rest of his companions. General Hammond gestured to the door and I made my way through it, my mind already occupied with imagining the day when I would see Skaara as he once was: innocent, inquisitive, open, gentle, and kind. How I wished that day would come soon.


	6. Epilogue: Reunion

**Epilogue: Reunion**

The days spent waiting at the S.G.C. were full of anxiety and impatience. Normally I prided myself on my patience, but the hope and anticipation of possibly seeing Skaara again was almost too much to contain. Dr. Fray'ser was very kind to me. She came to me often to ask how I was faring and even introduced me to a heavenly substance called 'chocolate.' But I could not forget about Dan'yell's promise and often went up to the place they called the 'gate room' to lie in wait for them.

It was the third day that I received notice that O'Neill requested my presence on Tollana. I was curious as to why they had sent for me and the only explanation I could imagine was that Skaara was either dying, dead, or coming home. I prayed it was the latter.

Dr. Fray'ser walked me to the Chappa'ai. I froze right in front of the glistening wall of water-like substance before me, the sudden realization that I will be seeing Skaara again, possibly on his deathbed, caused my limbs to become unresponsive. I glanced at Dr. Fray'ser with anxious eyes. Giving me a small reassuring smile, she grasped my hand for a brief moment before gently pushing me through the Chappa'ai.

I stumbled on the other side but Car'ter was there to catch me. She gave me a bright smile and I knew then that Skaara was safe. My heart began thudding rapidly within my chest.

"Why did you send for me?" I asked her as she helped me limp through the streets of the city.

"We thought you'd like to be here when the Tok'ra remove Klorel from Skaara's body," she said with another wide grin. My throat constricted.

"Skaara shall be free?" I asked in a voice barely over a whisper.

"Yes Kyra," Car'ter said, nodding, her face still set in that wide smile. "Skaara will be free."

I trembled at the words, half in eager anticipation and half in anxiety. Surely he would not be the same Skaara which had been taken from me two years ago, for too much had happened to him since then. Would he be capable of laughter? Would his eyes light up when he saw me? Would his face be as unveiled and open, his feelings plainly displayed for me to read?

The door of the council room opened but I hesitated, gesturing for Car'ter to go in ahead. I watched as two Tok'ra exited another door and carried a container holding the Goa'uld Klorel across the room toward me. I shrank against the wall and watched them pass, my mind going to Farreen and his sacrifice. Tears welled up in my eyes but I held them at bay, knowing now was not the time to break down.

I turned back to look into the room to watch the next proceedings. My breath caught in my throat as Skaara came bounding out of the room the Tok'ra had emerged from, dressed in the garments of the Tok'ra. The first thing I noticed was his smile: his wide handsome smile. I took a hesitant step inside of the room. The others had not yet noticed me.

I watched silently as Skaara embraced O'Neill, grasped forearms with Teal'c, and embraced Car'ter. My heart was thudding in my chest as they began to speak among themselves without noticing me. I took another step forward. It was then that Car'ter remembered me. She glanced behind her and our eyes met. I swallowed hard as she spoke softly to Skaara.

He stiffened suddenly at her words, his eyes darting around the room. They settled on me; his dark beautiful eyes met my light blue ones. Time seemed to slow as he pushed past O'Neill and Dan'yell, his eyes continuing to stare into mine. My limbs refused to move, remaining frozen in place as I watched him draw nearer and nearer. My heart seemed to leap into my throat, still pounding mercilessly.

He stood before me, inches away. I could do nothing but stand there shivering.

"Kyra," he said softly, slowly, as though savoring the taste of my name. Tears appeared in my eyes once more, however this time I did not try to hold them at bay. They began to make their way down my cheeks in shiny, salty rivulets. Hesitantly he lifted his arms and took my face in his hands, gently wiping away my tears with his thumbs.

"Skaara," I whispered, my entire body trembling from inside out.

"I'm back," he said, slowly smiling. I could only nod dumbly, still not certain if what I was experiencing a dream or reality. It seemed so surreal to be standing before him, feeling his rough hands on my face, hearing his beautifully accented voice, seeing his dark, soulful eyes. He looked so much like he had before the demon Klorel. Only there was one thing missing in his eyes. I realized it right away. They were no longer innocent. It was to be expected after the horrors he had gone through, but it made my heart ache to see the change.

I slowly lifted my hand and laid my fingers lightly on his cheek, not remembering the others in the room.

"You're back," I repeated breathlessly, overwhelmed by his presence.

The next instant his lips had descended onto mine in a soft kiss. I was so stunned I could not respond at first. Our first kiss; and it was then that I remembered the others watching us. However at that moment I did not care. I leaned into him, closing my eyes and simply enjoying the moment. His hands moved from my face to rest on my back and in my hair. My hands rested on his shoulders. It seemed as though only a second in time had passed when he slowly drew away.

"Why now?" I asked, still fighting for breath, wondering why he had kissed me.

He ran his fingers through my long, dark hair contemplatively. "I'm very happy to see you," he said, smiling down at me.

I smiled back, a wide sincere smile that had not graced my lips for a long time. He leaned forward and rested his forehead against mine.

"And I have wanted you ever since I first met you," he said softly. My eyes widened.

"Truly?" I wondered vaguely why he had waited so long.

He leaned back and stroked my cheek gently. "But I wanted to wait until we were older, for you were just a child then and I not fully a man."

I glanced around him at the others who were politely ignoring us. I stepped back and took a firm hold of his hand. "Let us return to Abydos," I said, looking up into his handsome face, my own face beaming with joy at his presence and his words. He grinned and his grin became a laugh.

"I shall see my father again!" he shouted, carefree once more. The lack of innocence had stripped him of something, but it had not taken away his joy. Of that I was glad. It warmed my heart to see him and realize that the day had come when he was finally free of the serpent demon. That he was once more simply my Skaara.

* * *

When we arrived back at the S.G.C., Skaara changed into Abydonian dress that Dan'yell provided for him from his own wardrobe. Dan'yell saw us to the Chappa'ai for our return journey to Abydos. Skaara's face was beaming with excitement and he embraced Dan'yell tightly before we faced the door to our world. His hand grasped mine as we stepped through and when we emerged on the opposite side Kasuf was once more waiting for me.

"Father!" Skaara exclaimed, releasing my hand in order to run to his kinsman. I stood back and watched as tears appeared in Kasuf's eyes as he embraced his long-lost son.

With his arm still around Skaara's shoulders, Kasuf gestured for me to approach them and when I had, he rested his other arm over my shoulders and together we walked out of the pyramid and into the village.

"Look! See! The gods have returned my son to me!" Kasuf cried. Great cheering could be heard and we were ambushed by several children, Raaka and Opitu among them. They chattered incessantly to Skaara who soaked it all in with a great smile on his face. However his eyes looked tired and worn.

Raaka and Opitu were now fifteen winters, he had missed two years of his friend's lives. Watching them together I could see the difference between the young men. Raaka and Opitu's eyes glowed with happiness, and Skaara's showed signs of happiness as well. But while their eyes shone with the light of children, his eyes had grown old and worn, much like the eyes of a warrior, like O'Neill. I bit my lip gently. The eyes I saw were of one who had witnessed too much too soon. I knew then that Skaara was free of Klorel, yes, but he was not free of the painful memories Klorel had given him.

It was not until much later that Skaara and I were allowed some time alone. Kasuf had sent the children away to do their everyday tasks and Skaara and I took a walk among the sand dunes.

"It has been so long," Skaara said, looking over the shifting sand, shining like gold in the late afternoon sun. "I had almost forgotten."

I took his hand gently. "But you did not," I said softly, leaning against his side. He glanced down at me, his expression one of grave earnestness.

"Will you take me to see my sister?" he asked in a voice hardly above a whisper. I nodded slowly, knowing he needed to bid her farewell.

I led him back through the village to the burial ground on the other side. When we came to Sha'uri's, Skaara's legs seemed to buckle underneath him and he collapsed on his knees before the small monument that marked the site. I knelt with some difficulty beside him.

"I am free of the demon." He spoke softly, reverently. "As now you are, dear sister." His voice broke and tears began trailing down his dark cheeks although his face remained grim-set. "Dan'yell continues to fight those who did this to us," he said and I saw his teeth clench tightly together. "They will not be allowed to make anyone else suffer the way we did." I watched him with a heavy heart. He was too young to experience these emotions. But there was no turning back now. He bowed his head and his shoulders trembled as the tears came faster and harder. "Sha'uri . . ." He could not go on.

I could not remain idle as my Skaara suffered this pain alone. I wrapped my arms around him and he shook with grief in my embrace. Tenderly I began to sing Sha'uri's lullaby, the one Klorel had detested with all his might. However it had a calming affect on Skaara. Gradually his tears slowed and soon ceased. He straightened and passed his arm over his face to wipe away the water from the tears.

"You sang that to me in Heru'ur's ship," he said, turning to look at me. "It helped me greatly. Thank you."

I smiled gently and pressed my lips against his damp cheek. "You are most welcome," I said.

We remained there for several long moments and my crippled foot had begun to throb painfully before Skaara stood and helped me up beside him. We turned to return to the village, but Skaara stopped and looked back.

"You were right, sister," he said, a small smile curling his lips. "About Kyra." He looked down at me and I raised my eyebrows, wondering of what he was speaking. He lifted a hand and stroked my cheek lovingly. "She is a gift from the gods and I am truly blessed that they chose to send her to me."

I blushed but responded willingly when his lips brushed lightly against mine. Without warning, he lifted me up in his arms and carried me back toward the village. I wrapped my arms around his neck and rested my head on his shoulder, grateful for the gesture. I wondered if he had known about my throbbing foot or if he had simply wanted to carry me.

"Marry me," he said suddenly as we arrived at the outskirts of the village.

I was startled by the question and looked up at him, thinking that he was jesting. His face was unreadable. He glanced down at my incredulous expression and his lips twitched.

"I mean that sincerely," he assured me. "When you reach the marriage age, I wish for you to be my wife." The age of marriage was eighteen, less than two years from now. I stared up at him speechlessly.

He set me down carefully and took my hands in his, looking down at me earnestly. "I love you Kyra," he said seriously, his dark eyes searching mine. "I did not realize how much until I saw you before in Heru'ur's ship and I believed he would hurt you." He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear tenderly. "I knew then that I would die for you. I knew then that I loved you. Please, say you'll be my wife."

"Two years is a long time Skaara," I pointed out stupidly, unable to think of anything else to reply. His face fell.

"You do not think my feelings for you will last?" he asked piteously. I tightened my grip on his hands.

"I simply do not know whether or not I can wait that long," I said truthfully with a small smile, hoping to cheer him. He sighed in relief and laughed lightly. I released his hands to embrace him tightly, wrapping my arms around his waist and resting my head on his chest.

"I love you as well," I whispered, realizing that I had for quite some time. Only I do not think I noticed the feeling until I was faced with the possibility of never seeing Skaara again, only Klorel. I then wondered if he had heard me, I had spoken so softly. Pulling away I saw that he had, a large grin had spread across his face and his eyes sparkled with joy. For the first time, his dark eyes looked almost young again. He grasped my hand tightly.

"Let us go tell Father," he said, pulling me urgently toward Kasuf's tent. I laughed at his eagerness and felt a sense of peace settle in my heart. At last everything seemed to fall into the right place and I no longer felt afraid. For once I felt as though everything was going to be all right. I was experiencing a brave new world and now I was ready to face it.

* * *

**Yes, two chapters and that is the end, I'm sorry to say. I'm glad ya'll liked it so much! I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciated them. I'm thinking of writing some more Stargate and "Stargate SG-1" fics, so keep an eye out for them. "See you in another life, eh brothah?"**


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